Wedding Ceremonies - Wedding Program Order of Service Examples for the World's Cultures & Religions

Wedding ceremony traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Although most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows, presentation of a gift and a public proclamation of marriage, the order of service, readings, music and ceremony customs are unique to each religion and reflect centuries of tradition and common belief. Explore our collection of marriage ceremony order of service examples for wedding programs and share your heritage and culture with guests, family and friends.

Here you will find wedding program examples and wedding ceremony program wording for Hindu Weddings. The Hindu Samskaras (religious rituals) cover the full span of one's life. They act as guides that direct the life of an individual from conception to death. The Vivaha Samskara is one of the most important rituals, as it launches an individual from the Brahmachari (Bachelor) stage to the Grihasta (married) stage. The Hindu wedding ceremony celebrates the solemn union of two individuals in an eternal bond of love and mutual respect. The rituals are rooted in the Rig Veda, one of the four Hindu Vedas or scriptures, which are in the Sanskrit language. The ceremony unites two families and is very important from physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual perspectives.

Explore wedding program examples and wedding ceremony program wording for an Orthodox Wedding. Wedding ceremonies in the Orthodox Church are an ancient and meaningful service that has been celebrated in its present form for centuries. The service is abundant with symbolism that reflect marriage: Love, Mutual Respect, Equality and Sacrifice. There is generally two portions of the ceremony: The Service of the Crowning and the Service of the Betrothal. Many of these wedding program templates give an explanation of both.

A traditional Jewish wedding is full of meaningful rituals, symbolizing the beauty of the relationship of husband and wife, as well as their obligations to each other and to the Jewish people. A Jewish wedding program can explain wedding rituals to the guests in attendance. Some of the most common rituals in a Jewish wedding include the Kabbalat Panim (Opening Reception), the Badeken, the Chuppah, Kiddushin, Presentation of the Ring, the Ketubah, the Sheva Brachot (Seven Blessings), the Breaking the Glass, Yichud and the Seudat Nissuin (Festive Meal).

Marriages in the African American community sometimes feature a few aspects not commonly seen in other cultures - namely the "Jumping of the Broom" ceremony. Explore program wording and ideas on how you can incorporate this aspect of your ceremony into the program, and explain to your guests the meaning and history behind this segment of your wedding.